You have the power to choose the best power company in Houston for your needs before settling into your new home. A fixed supply rate will give you the same rate per kWh every month. It won’t fluctuate with the energy market or change during your contract. Most Houston energy providers offer some type of fixed-rate supply plans. Another popular option is a variable supply rate. Some people prefer variable supply rates because they can change along with market prices. When market prices go up your rate per kWh may increase, but when they decrease you could benefit from a lower supply rate. SaveOnEnergy.com can help you make sense of your options.

1. Contracts: Before, there were no contracts. You signed up or you didn’t. When it’s the only game in town, you have to play by their rules. Nowadays, you’ll see these ultra-fabulous rates bandied about but it’s only by carefully scrutinizing the fine print that you’ll discover those wonderful rates come with a one-year lock-down or other catches.

In Houston, 0% of people have switched to a plan that has some renewable energy component to it. Another 0% have switched to a plan that is partially renewable, while 0% have switched to a plan that powers homes completely by renewable electricity. This of course means that 100% of people have remained on a plan powered by traditional sources of electricity such as coal or nuclear power.

Consumers were promised cheaper power when Texas deregulated its electricity markets in 2002 at the urging of big industrial users and power companies. Average retail prices have declined by more than 60 percent since 2001, although much of that decline is due to the plunge in natural gas prices that followed advances in shale drilling and consequently wholesale power prices. Proponents of deregulation argue that they still have choices that can save them money.
Texas consumers can save hundreds of dollars each year by shopping for electricity, but most don’t seek out better deals, overwhelmed by the number and complexity of power plans on the state’s Power to Choose website, wary of fine print in too-good-to-be true offers, or just too busy to spend time calculating whether free nights and weekends offset the higher rates they pay during the week.
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Should you choose a short-term, long-term, month-to-month, or prepaid plan? The short answer: it depends on your specific needs. How long do you anticipate living at your location? Are you deciding in the peak season (summer in Houston) or off season? All electricity providers in Houston offer a broad selection of plans for different contract lengths. Many also offer month-to-month and prepaid electricity plans. The bottom line is that everyone’s needs are different and all contract term lengths offer advantages and disadvantages.
No matter who you are, residents and business owners in Texas have to have electricity. Understanding electricity rates in Houston can be overwhelming at first. At SaveOnEnergy.com®, our job is to help you explore your Houston energy options. The more you learn about electric companies in your area, the easier your decision will be when you choose an energy plan.
That’s what Josh Burdick thinks when looks around for electricity deals on Power to Choose for his 1,400 square foot West University condo. But Burdick, 45, an information technology project manager for an oil company in Houston, figured that he wouldn’t end up saving that much. He signed up with Reliant 11 years ago and has never left, paying anywhere from $120 to $150 a month during the summer. He is not even on a plan, instead paying month-to-month market rates, which typically cost more than longer term retail contracts.
Keeping on top: With deregulation, a whole host of electric resellers jumped into the market because there’s a whole lot of electricity to sell: if Texas were a country, it’d be the 11th largest electricity consumer in the world! Just by itself, it uses as much electricity as Spain or Great Britain! That means there’s a whole lot of information you have to find, absorb, and process to make sure you’re getting the best rate for your needs.
“The whole business model of the industry is to get people in on the promotional rates and then jack up their rate when the promotional rates end,” said Trent Crow, a former JP Morgan energy trader and founder of Real Simple Energy, a website that helps consumers find low-cost electricity plans. “I don’t think people realize how much they are overpaying.”
Energy Choice Experts: This company provides an apples-to-apples cost comparison of all 12 month plans based upon a client's usage history and guarantees they will find the Lowest Annual Cost plan for each client based upon their usage pattern. New clients pay a flat $35. Returning clients pay $30. You sign up the for electricity service yourself. They only provide the analysis (the hard part). More info
These materials are provided by Constellation NewEnergy, Inc., Constellation NewEnergy Gas Division, LLC, Constellation Energy Power Choice, LLC, Constellation Energy Gas Choice, LLC, or BGE Home Products & Services, LLC (d/b/a BGE Home, Constellation Electric and Constellation Home in Maryland and d/b/a Constellation Home in Pennsylvania and Texas), each a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation. Exelon Corporation also owns Atlantic City Electric (ACE), Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE), ComEd, Delmarva Power, PECO and Pepco energy companies. BGE Home Products & Services, LLC, is not the same company as BGE, the regulated utility. The prices of Constellation are not regulated by any state Public Utility Commission. You do not have to buy Constellation electricity, natural gas or any other products to receive the same quality regulated service from your local utility. Brand names and product names are trademarks or service marks of their respective holders. All rights reserved. Errors and omissions excepted.

It is unlikely that you’ll see any change at all. You will be receiving the same electricity as you always have been, just from a different company. The only difference you definitely will see will be smaller charges for your electricity. By using our price comparison service you’ll be able to cut costs to your energy tariffs and save more money on electricity and gas.

But in Houston, where there are 52 companies on Power to Choose each offering several different power plans, there might be too many choices. Economists have found that when confronted with a large number of choices, most people tend to do nothing. In one well-known behavioral economics experiment, researchers set out six samples of fruit jams at a grocery store, enticing 30 percent of shoppers to buy the product. But when they increased the number of samples to 24, only 3 percent of shoppers made a purchase.

In summary, fixed-rate plans provide a level of certainty and stability in your energy charge since the price will not fluctuate over the life of your contract. If prices suddenly spike, you are protected because your rate is locked in. The flip side is that if rates drop over the life of your contract, you’ll be stuck paying the higher rate. You can incur steep cancellation fees if you change electricity plans or providers before the end of your contract term.

If you live in the greater Houston area, there are over 60 different energy suppliers competing for your business. Many of these providers have websites that are confusing and difficult to navigate, their rates buried in misleading advertising and dense jargon. Who has the time to sort through and keep track of options across all these different sites?